Amusement device



No. 752,450. PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.

- A. G. HAMMELL.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLIGETION FILED AUG. 22, 1903.

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No. 752,450. PATENTED FEB.16, 1904.

A-LG. HAMMELL AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1903.

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UN TED STATE ALVIN GUY HAMMELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND,

Patented February 16, 1904:.

PATENT OFFICE.

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO A. Gr. HAMMELL AMUSEMENT COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AMUSEMENT ,DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 752,450, dated February 16, 1904;.

Application filed August 22, 1903.

To on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN GUY HAMMELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Amusement Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a structure upon which cars or other vehicles are drawn up an inclined .plane by a cable or the like and relieved from the cable when the upper portion of the incline is reached and to construct a spiral way or track leading from the upper point of the inclined plane, where the vehicle is released, the contracted portion of the spiral being its lower portion, whereby as the vehicle descends the spiral way the oocupants of the vehicle will experience as near as possible the sensations of a person when drawn into a whirlpool.

Another purpose of the invention is to connect a tunnel with the lower end of the spiral way adapted to terminate at or near the point where the vehicle starts up the inclined plane, which tunnel may be covered either with earth or water, and the said tunnel is to be deco? rated with pictures and objects illustrating life and surroundings at the bottom of the sea.

The invention consists inthe novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view'of the track structure, and Fig. 2is a sectional view of abuilding and a side elevation of the track structure contained therein.

- A represents a building, and B the track structure contained within the building. This track structure consists of a front or station section 10, practically horizontal and connected with a downwardly-inclined section 11, Which in its turn is connected with the bottom Serial No. 170,445. (No model.)

portion of an inclined plane 12, the inclination of the section 12 being upward and rearward. The upper end 13 of the inclined plane 12 is in direct communication with the upper member 14 of a spiral section C, which is of greatest diameter at the top. This spiral way is properly graded, so that the descent will not be too rapid, each member of the spiral being smaller as the bottom is approached.

The bottom 15 of the spiral connects with and 'leads into a tunnel D, and this tunnel at its opposite end connects with the station-section 10 of the track structure.

The tunnel I) may be of any approved form; but it is preferably made of serpentine shape, as is illustrated in the drawings, in which a section 17, connected with the bottom of the spiral way 0, is carried beneath and to the rear of the spiral and at one side thereof, forming a circular loop 18 and a curved section 19, which is at the opposite side of the spiral and over which the section 17 passes, the section 19 at this point having a depression 20.

The section 19 is carried under the forward portion of the spiral to the same side at which the circular loop 18 is located and connects with a substantially S-shaped section 21, which has its outlet at the station-section 10. The

tracks may be provided with rails, if desired, and have side flanges 22 of sufficient height to prevent the cars employed from possibly slipping from the tracks. It will be understood that any style of car suitable for the purpose may be employed.

The sections of the track structure are supported by means of standards 23 of any approved type, and the upper stretch of an endless chain or cable 24 passes the length of the front of the inclined plane 12,,engaging with a suitable friction-pulley 25 at the base of the incline and friction-rollers 26 at the top, where the said endless chain or cable likewise passes over a supporting-pulley 26. This endless chain or cable 24: maybe driven in any suitable or approved manneras, for example, through the medium of a motor 27and in Fig. 2 of the drawings the lower stretch of the said chain or cable is shown engaging with the driving-pulley 27 on the motor.

In the operation of the device a car is started from the platform and is gripped to the cable 24, by means of which the car is carried up the inclined plane, and when the top of the inclined plane is reached the grip is released, and the car will immediately commence to travel of its own volition down the spiral section C of the track structure, the intent being to 'impart, as near as can be conceived, the sensations of a person when drawn down into a whirlpool. When the lower end of the whirlpool or spiral section U is reached, the car enters the tunnel and following the ramifications thereof finds an exit at the forward end of the tunnel near the station 10, adjacent to which station a platform 28 is shown as located.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an amusement device, a spirallyformed, vertically-disposed track, the diameter of which spiral decreases in direction of the bottom. I

2. In an amusement device, a spirallyformed, vertically-disposed track, the diameter of which spiral graduallydecreases in direction of the bottom of the track-section, and an inclined track leading to and connecting with the upper end of the saidspir'al section, as described.

3. In an amusement device, an inclined track-section, an elevating device for the said inclined track-section, a spiral track-section connected 'at its upper end with the upper portion of the inclined track-section, the diameter of the spiral track-section gradually diminishing in direction of the bottom, and a tunnel connected with the lower end of the spiral track-section, as described.

4. In an amusement device, an inclined track-section, an elevating device for the said inclined track-section, a spiral track-section connected at its upper end with the upper portion of the inclined track-section, the diameter of the spiral track-section gradually diminishing, in direction of the bottom, a serpentine tunnel connected with the lower end of the spiral track section,=and a station track-section connecting the outlet end of the tunnel with the bottom portion of the'inclined tracksection, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationin'the presence of two subscribing'witnesses. A

*ALVIN 'GUY HAMMELL. Witnesses:

- J. FRED. 'ACKER, EVERARD I BOLTON MARSHALL. 

